Officers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection said they stopped a passenger at MIA Monday who was attempting to smuggle birds in a plastic pill bottle into the country.
According to the CBP's press release, the passenger arrived on a flight from Caradero, Cuba.
During inspection, officers discovered a small plastic medicine bottle marked "Vitamin C-500 MG" with small holes drilled in it.
Inside the bottle, officers found two finches, only one of which was alive.
The birds were detained under quarantine and turned over to the Department of Agriculture Veterinary Services for having been smuggled into the country in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
“Wild birds can carry viruses that are harmful to humans and agriculture,” Chris Maston, CBP Port Director of Field Operation at Miami International Airport said in the press release.
“This interception is indicative of the detail CBP officers and Agriculture Specialists go through at the forefront of protecting our nation from these threats.”
